By Lydia Koidula (Tartu, 1865)

There is a place within this world
where faith and love and joy lie curled
and everything thats fine and rare
will always find a refuge there.

Do you know a mother’s heart?
Constant and sound from the very start!
With your joys it loves to share
and your sorrows will help you bear.

When people change from good to bad,
friendship and praise is not to be had
when all around is contempt and hate
faithless and loveless is your sad fate -

a mother’s heart is always there!
A place that you will always share,
cry away dashed hopes and fears
on mother’s breast through all her years!

Some dearest treasures I may lose
and after mourning find repose,
time for me my grief will sever
but mother’s heart I’ll miss – forever!

Translated by Hilary Bird (Tartu, 2008)

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